I realized that I hadn't posted on my blog for almost a month, and this is my quibbling explanation (or excuse, however you'd like to view it). Not only do I owe an explanation but four whole book reviews, which will have to be done another night since this is already pushing my bedtime.
But as it is, all the rumors and talk about social workers are true... it is hard work. Not that I'm complaining. I've chosen it and I truly love it, but it is exhausting and out of my love and passion it takes up far more than the measly 40 hours a week of any normal job (though, in the USA, that can be argued for many jobs now-a-days). I've been challenged and filled up more in these months in this profession then in the nearly two years as a Project Coordinator for an IT Consulting Company (god, that just sounds soooo boring and lame, doesn't it?) There are days I've driven home in tears after sustaining an hour tantrum by a child. I'm not sure if I've explained my exact niche in the huge social work field, but I'm what's called an Intensive In-Home Specialist, which basically means that I work within people's homes with the entire family for children who are either at risk for an out-of-home placement or are coming back from one. So when I say that one of my kids had an hour long tantrum, these aren't your run-of-the-mill tantrums I'm talking about. Either way, there are the stresses of the job that make me come home and tell my husband quite crossly that I don't ever want to have children. Then there are the days that I come home and tell my husband - making it clear that there is to be no discussion, of course - that if a certain child were to be put up for adoption we'd adopt him immediately. I've grown to deeply care for the children I work with, even those that most challenge me. It is great and fulfilling work.
But leaves me really freaking drained and with barely any time for myself!!
Needless to say, I'm still trying to learn the balance of the job. How much of your time, your heart, your thoughts do you give to the job without completely losing yourself? I'm toeing the line right now, and am reaching back to those things that are important to me to pull myself back a bit. Maybe if my loyal and very-angry-by-my-absence readers were to leave me comments demanding my attention back to my blog, I'll be more inclined to give myself the time to blog and write, which truly are important things to me.
Despite shamelessly begging for your love, I do promise to catch up on my reviews and to write interesting and intriguing blogs again about the issues that strike at my heart. Most specifically all that has been going on in Africa as of late, with Kenya in an uprising and Uganda on the verge of peace, my eyes and ears are pointed towards the news from these countries.
And of course the huge splashes the Steelers are making in free agency... I mean, hello, Mewelde Moore! Can the Steelers stop stealing from my other team please? Ahh, when loyalties cross paths, what's a girl to do?
Bottom 10: Roll over, Tide, roll over
13 minutes ago
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3 comments:
keep writing, we love your posts!
LOL, I, too, read your posts and don't often comment. It's easy to get burnt out working with children. (I learned the hard way.) Protect that, first. Really. Find something you do that's all yours, that's relaxing, and that fills you up. You can't give if you've been emptied! :-)
Haha, thanks spyscribbler! It's nice to hear people are still checking in once in a while despite my delinquence!!
You're right, I do need to find that thing that fills me up. Writing would be the obvious answer, but when I come home at night I'm so exhausted usually that I just want to vege. I may have to become a morning writer, which is sooo not my niche, but as long as I'm writing is probably what's important.
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